Seafood distributor: microbiological testing for live holding tanks? ie, fish, crab, prawns, lobster, shellfish etc.
Hello, I want to know if there is FDA (USA) or CFIA (Canada) guidance on testing parameters for live seafood holding tanks? What do we need to test for in the natural seawater/synthetic salt water? Thank you.
Hello all,
I forgot to mention, are there requirements for chemical parameters as well? Thank you.
Here is the intro into seafood imports into Canada
https://inspection.c...542814997653#a4
Step 1, you need a license to import if you don't have one already
The FDA does not require testing of recirculated seawater holding and does not consider it a significant source of any hazard. If lobster or other crustacean are pounded inshore it may fall under aquaculture controls in ch 11 of the hazards guidance . Generally lobster and others are not held long enough in pounds to accumulate naturally occurring toxins or environmental chemicals.
Fish-and-Fishery-Products-Hazards-and-Controls-Guidance-Chapter-11.pdf 2.09MB 6 downloads
Of course monitoring water quality of live holding system is a fiscally sound practice...
The FDA does not require testing of recirculated seawater holding and does not consider it a significant source of any hazard. If lobster or other crustacean are pounded inshore it may fall under aquaculture controls in ch 11 of the hazards guidance . Generally lobster and others are not held long enough in pounds to accumulate naturally occurring toxins or environmental chemicals.
Fish-and-Fishery-Products-Hazards-and-Controls-Guidance-Chapter-11.pdf
Of course monitoring water quality of live holding system is a fiscally sound practice...
Where does it indicate in ch11 that the FDA does not require testing of recirculated seawater holding and does not consider it a significant source of any hazard.
Where does it indicate in ch11 that the FDA does not require testing of recirculated seawater holding and does not consider it a significant source of any hazard.
It doesn't state that in ch. 11. That is for aquaculture guidance if you are pounding lobsters inshore, and if you administer any of the drugs or additives listed in that chapter. Closed systems do not hold lobster (or other crustacean) long enough for any chemical or biological hazard to accumulate in flesh. The first indicator of unsafe water for live marine animals would be death.
Toxins and environmental chemicals take years or sometimes even decades to accumulate to unsafe levels. For pounds and pens you will have to monitor water quality per your local sanitation department (in the US).
I have been working with live systems for nearly 20 years, and the only monitoring we conducted was for specific gravity, pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels. However, if the intent of holding in a closed system is for depuration then this falls under the NSSP:
NSSP-Guide-for-the-Control-of-Molluscan-Shellfish--2015-Revision-(PDF-5.3-MB).pdf 5.86MB 5 downloads
It doesn't state that in ch. 11. That is for aquaculture guidance if you are pounding lobsters inshore, and if you administer any of the drugs or additives listed in that chapter. Closed systems do not hold lobster (or other crustacean) long enough for any chemical or biological hazard to accumulate in flesh. The first indicator of unsafe water for live marine animals would be death.
Toxins and environmental chemicals take years or sometimes even decades to accumulate to unsafe levels. For pounds and pens you will have to monitor water quality per your local sanitation department (in the US).
I have been working with live systems for nearly 20 years, and the only monitoring we conducted was for specific gravity, pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels. However, if the intent of holding in a closed system is for depuration then this falls under the NSSP:
NSSP-Guide-for-the-Control-of-Molluscan-Shellfish--2015-Revision-(PDF-5.3-MB).pdf
Thank you for the information. What do you use to test specific gravity, pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels?
Thank you for the information. What do you use to test specific gravity, pH, ammonia, and nitrate levels?
You can probably just pick up an aquarium care kit at a local pet store. I also forgot to mention temperature. One range is good for lobster, but will kill a blue crab in seconds.